Automatic Goldfish Feeders - What to select Outdoor or Indoor Automatic Fish Feeder

Having an automatic fish feeder is an investment and can definitely help the goldfish owner during feeding time whether he is at home or on vacation. The use of an indoor/outdoor automatic fish feeder is suggested to distribute fish feeds evenly into the pond or aquarium at predetermined time intervals. Auto fish feeders are usually powered either with battery or run on electricity through a power cord and have little compartments to hold the fish food. The device also includes a timer which can be set to feed the fish at different intervals. There are different kinds and styles of automatic aquarium feeders for your goldfish. There are simple battery operated fish feeders and also state-of-the-art and large capacity electronic feeders.

One main concern for this device is that sometimes the food stored in the compartment become wet. If this happens, the fish food pellets or flakes could become stuck and not fall as intended.

For starters, you can buy the small and simple-type capacity feeder to see how it works and observe how it can assist you. If you’re budget is a little bit tight, you may want to try something like an automatic pond fish feeder. You can use it not only in your pond but also in your indoor aquarium. This feeder is usually powered by battery and works in all types and sizes of dry fish food. There are also available automatic feeders which can feed your fish different types of fish food either by mixing flakes and pellets together or by buying a feeder with separate chambers.

Aquarium auto feeders are great because they are convenient, accurate and dispense food over several hours reducing the risk of overfeeding and fish water contamination. If you are not sure of what kind of feeder to get, you can inquire from your local fish or pet shop to know the different types of automatic fish feeder suited for your existing aquarium or pond.

Goldfish Feeding - What Live Food to Feed your Godfish

Goldfish are omnivores, meaning they can eat both plant and animal food particles. In order for the goldfish to grow healthy, it is best to feed them both with processed and live foods.

What are live foods? Live foods contain nutritional elements and also have the natural laxatives which are essential to the goldfish. Some fish owners prefer feeding their fish with manufactured or processed foods because live foods may carry harmful organisms that can be harmful to the goldfish. Many of these live foods are available as frozen or dried items in pet or fish stores. They are excellent dietary supplement for conditioning the goldfish. Since, live foods may be harmful to your goldfish, it is recommended to just buy those which are frozen or dried rather than raising or catching them to feed your fish. The cultivation of live food should be left to the expert, as it can carry diseases which can harm your goldfish.

Brine shrimp is good for goldfish because when it hatches, it is not dangerous because even though it carries a disease, it can not survive in fresh water. Brine shrimps should be eaten fast or they will die and contaminate rapidly the water.

Daphnia are one of the several small aquatic crustaceans and live in freshwater environment. They can live in aquarium but can carry diseases which can be harmful to the goldfish, so a cultured daphnia is recommended.

There are a lot of worms which can be used as food for the goldfish. It includes tubifex worms, blood worms, earthworms, meal worms, etc. But, tubifex carries diseases, so blood worms are usually suggested because they are less likely to carry diseases. Earthworms are used only if they are cultured and if they will be given to bigger goldfish. White worms and micro worms are typically given to smaller or young fishes.

Almost all fish love to eat live fish. You can feed your goldfish with baby guppies and swordtails. They are very nutritious and readily available from your local fish shops.

Here’s a list of live foods which your goldfish can eat:

• Daphnia
• Brine Shrimp
• Infusoria
• Mosquito Larvae
• Tubifex Worms
• White Worms
• Blood Worms
• Wax worms
• Blood worms
• Microworms
• Meal Worms
• Organic earthworms
• Krill
• Small fishes

Goldfish Feeding - Avoid overfeeding of your Goldfish

Many fish owners want their goldfish to grow faster. They have this habit of feeding the fish more than their pet really needs. They have this notion that the more food the fish takes, the healthier it will get. Usually, goldfish is recommended to be fed two mouthfuls twice a day.

Overfeeding will just create a polluted environment to the goldfish. Leftover food decomposes rapidly, and this will ultimately release plenty of organic and inorganic compounds that will adversely affect the living condition of the goldfish.

Your aquarium will quickly develop cloudy water, sooner algae growth, occasional growth of little patches of fungus or mold, sudden appearance of tiny worms, and low dissolved oxygen, high nitrates, declining pH and other chemical problems.

Below are some feeding habits to remember to avoid overfeeding of your goldfish:

1.     Time your feedings. Carefully observe your fish when you feed them. Watch how long and how much will they be able to eat the food you give them. This way, you can adjust the amount of food the next time you feed them.

2.     Feed often but in moderation. Keep the feedings under control. You can feed your goldfish often but sparingly. But, fish experts typically recommend that you feed them twice to three times a day to avoid overfeeding. Other fish owners, especially those who keep several fishes, use an automatic fish feeder. This will allow them to set the feeder with the sufficient amount of food at a certain time.

3.     Feed the fish, not the fish tank. Do not be naive about getting your fish to grow fast and big by feeding them too much. Keep in mind that too much food is not good to the fish or to your aquarium.

4.     Feed your goldfish with appropriate fish food only. Visit your local fish store to inquire on what food to feed your goldfish. Flake foods may be too small to large-mouthed fish, or pellets may be too large for your tiny pets. Be cautious also when giving live foods to your goldfish. There are worms that carry harmful bacteria that could kill your fish.

5.     Introduce new foods carefully. Give new type of foods warily and in small amounts only. Feed very sparingly and allow them to adjust to their new diet before feeding sufficient amount of that food. Discontinue if you notice something strange regarding the fish’s eating habits.

6.     Remove uneaten food immediately. Getting rid of leftover fish food from the tank will reduce wastes that are harmful to your goldfish. A clean and clear aquarium can also provide a pleasant viewing experience not just to the fish owner but also to his visitors.

Goldfish Food and Habits - Types of Goldfish foods

When feeding your goldfish, you want to make sure that they get the proper nutrients for them to grow healthy and live longer. Goldfish are omnivores which means that they eat both meat and vegetables. They almost eat anything you give them; that is why, it is very important to feed them the appropriate and adequate amount of food to avoid overfeeding.

In order for the goldfish to grow healthy, proper diet should be given to them regularly.  Their food should contain the essentials of protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals that they need to live and grow.

Types of goldfish foods

1. Manufactured food. This can be in flake or pellet form. This is the most common fish food in the market which consists of an optimal blend of ingredients that deliver superior nutrition. Flake food is fortified with natural attractants, color enhancers, and highly digestible protein sources.

2. Live food. This can be tubifex worms, brine shrimp or mosquito larvae.

3. Frozen food. The frozen food like frozen brine shrimp, daphnia, tubifex worms or mosquito larvae are easily available at many pet stores. This can have the same nutrition as that of live food but with extra protection for the goldfish because of the growing live cultures.

4. Homemade food. Also called household foods. These foods provide fresh nutrients to the goldfish. Examples are lettuce and peas which you can feed your goldfish.

Many fish owners want their goldfish to grow faster. They have this habit of feeding the fish more than their pet really needs. They have this notion that the more food the fish takes, the healthier it will get. Usually, goldfish is recommended to be fed two mouthfuls twice a day.